


Waiting the Next Time

by Tsushikoi



Category: Ghost Hunt
Genre: Angst, Astral Projection, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Manga Spoiler, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-29 13:51:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17204561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsushikoi/pseuds/Tsushikoi
Summary: "Me or Gene ?" Naru's words confused her more than she thought. The last time she had seen Gene, she didn't know who he really was, but... could she have fallen in love for someone she did't really know ? Laying in her bed at night, Mai is lost and can't help but thinking about her feelings so tangled.





	Waiting the Next Time

**Author's Note:**

> Hello ! I'm actually posting this work of mine here so enjoy ! ;)
> 
> SPOILERS (Takes place after the manga and before the other manga "Akumu no Sumu Ie")

*

_September, Mai’s room, 00:03 a.m._

*

“Me or Gene?”

It’s been several hours that his question was whirling non-stop in her head. Although Naru’s words had hurt her on the moment, the more she thought about it, the more she painfully admitted he was right… Which one?  
Well, thanks to him, she was lost in her feelings.

Mai sighed and turned around in her bed for the umpteenth time, glancing at the photo which was henceforth on her nightstand, representing two identical twins. The one Naru had offered her before leaving back in England.

Naru’s departure was a while back now and he still hasn’t given any sign of his return in Japan. Maybe he just did not desire to come back to this land… Of course Mai would be disappointed, but she could also understand it. After all, his brother has been found here, no one would willingly want to face such bad memories… Besides, the most part of his life has always been in the English land.

She quickly shook her head to get rid of this thought. She didn’t want to wonder whether she will ever see him again… And as usual, she ended up ruminating his last question.

Did she love the one she only met in her dreams, the ‘good one’ who was always smiling, who guided her, reassured her and was always kind to her? Or, did she love the one who qualified himself as the ‘bad one’, a work-a-holic, know-it-all, narcissist who was always teasing her and making fun of her stupidity? Facts are that all the time spent with both twins has taught her to be acquainted with them and even love them. Even if she had no idea they were related that way.

Mai was so confused. She blamed herself not to have discovered sooner both men physically similar in both dreams and reality were actually two different people. Now that she knew it though, it seemed obvious. In dreams, he was smiling and he didn’t have the same behavior as once Mai was awake… Surely, she should have suspected it! Furthermore, her feelings were a tad bit different from one twin to the other.

Clearly she had affection for both brothers, but how could she have fallen for him? A person she thought to be another one, someone she didn’t even have met properly and of whom, until weeks ago, she wasn’t aware of the existence – and the loss… Why has she had to fall in love with the one she only sees in her dreams? How was it even possible? Though, however, he was the one she loved…

Exhausted, Mai fell asleep heavyhearted.

*

_In the Astral Plane._

*

All around her, everything was black. For once, this empty scenery – if we could qualify it as such – corresponded rather well with her state of mind these last days. She was lost without knowing what to do or where to go in the midst of this endless area. The silence prevailed, soothing and paradoxically comforting. Here, it was like time was suspended. Seated in the void, fœtal position, she simply took advantage of the loneliness. She didn’t move, she thought no more. She did nothing but breathe calmly, her eyes closed.

About a few instants, not far from her a silhouette appeared. Sensing a presence, she raised her head. Slowly, a sad smile grew on his lips and she smiled back.

“Gene,” Mai murmured.

It was the first time Mai sees and addressed him with his own name and not his twin’s. She was embarrassed when she thought she had assumed he was Naru and has called him as such.  
He nodded softly, keeping the same expression and she stood up to go near him.

"Mai” he greeted, “long time no see."

“Yeah, it’s selfish but I’m glad to see you; I had presumed you’ll never come back. I missed this.” She confessed sadly. By that she meant she missed him, but she couldn’t avow it already.

Indeed, after his body was found, Gene had not made any appearance in her dreams for a while. Moreover, her travels in the astral plane have become less frequent, as if her skill was divided when the twins were gone. Well, actually that was it more or less: her Esper abilities were useful on cases but there was no more case since then.  
Gene grinned tenderly at her.

“I am pleased to hear this anyway, it’s not my brother who would admit that,” he joked, “When he’ll learn I’m still around, he’ll certainly be irritated and call me an idiot.”

“Now that you mention it, aren’t you supposed to have moved on… since you’ve been found?”

At first, Gene has feared she had borrowed Noll’s way of being and that she would say he should go forward already. But then, he remembered she was Mai.

“That’s what I thought too, there have been a sort of break, but apparently I still have unfinished business, even if I don’t know what it is yet…”

Then he looked at her and noticed something was wrong with her, she didn’t appear as cheerful as she was usually.  
He added, “You seem preoccupied too, is there anything?”

If he was not very concerned about his unfinished business – he knew he would figure out sooner or later –, he was for Mai.

She hesitated for a second.

“I wanted to apologize about I mistaking you for Naru, I feel ashamed somehow.”

“You couldn’t have guessed,” Gene shook his head reassuring her gently, “So Noll eventually told you.”

She nodded. Speaking of Noll, it reminded him something.

“Hey, I never have had the opportunity to ask you, why did you call him ‘Naru’?”

“Oh, you’ll laugh about that one,” she begins, “It’s because I blurted out that my friends found him handsome and he replied they didn’t have bad taste,” Mai looked at him. She knew she wasn’t telling him the whole truth: he said she didn’t have bad taste. But it was way too embarrassing! Even though she did find him beautiful too... 

She concludes, “So I figured I should call him ‘Naru’ which is short for narcissist.”

He laughed. “Well, now I know why! I admit it suits him. Well done!” Mai chuckled slightly and Gene added a little absentmindedly: “Great minds think alike...” Mai stared at him not knowing why he was saying this, so Gene replied: “That’s what I used to call him.” 

The girl suddenly remembered Naru’s reaction when she had called him by that name the first time. 

“So that’s why he was so surprised...”

“Was he?” Asked he, “I would have loved to see his face,” smiled Gene sincerely.

Then, the boy asked her seriously: “So, tell me what distracts you so much, you’re still too gloomy.”

Speak for yourself ! Thought Mai. But she supposed it was usual for spirits to display gloomy faces...

He was worried about her and desired to help Mai if she had problems in any way. Gene sincerely cared for her to the point he never wanted her to be sorrowful.

“Well, you know, near the lake, after you faded away, Naru has come and we’ve talked…”

“You told him about your feelings, didn’t you?”

As much as it was possible for her spirit self, Mai blushed a little. She was not surprised that he was aware of it, though; she was obvious sometimes – even more in her dreams – and Gene was definitely less dense than his brother.

“Yes, but then he asked me if I... if I loved him or you…”

Yeah, that is typical of Noll, Gene thought. He always found a method to avoid his own reply and get out of embarrassing situations, like this one visibly. However, he knew Noll felt something for his brunette assistant as well. Of course he could see it by the way he teased her, among other things. And they were twins with some mental connection after all.

But, through that simple question, Gene notices it also was a way of protection.

Noll was dense but he would have confessed his feelings – in his own way, of course – if he was certain of her own feelings for him. And he’ll never want to be a surrogate either. Therefore, his non-answer was also to make sure she confessed to the good person… It was for her to understand and untangle her own feelings for the both of them. And he was right. If he had not asked her, with how Mai could be carefree sometimes, she probably would have never truly wondered…

How clever of him! He probably had decided to wait until she knows. Gene realized, amazed at these thoughts. He was so proud of his twin. He could almost hear his brother reply, “Of course I’m right.” The dreaming boy internally laughed at this.

“Honestly, it haunted me for days,” Mai resumed, “But, I have figured out he was not wrong…”

She slowly raised her eyes to meet Gene’s.

“How it is possible? It’s so unfair,” she said as her voice broke.

“I know…”

It was indeed unfair that Gene loved and was loved after his death. He himself was surprised to discover what his feelings turned out to be. And simultaneously, not that much: during all the time spent with her – teaching her capabilities of medium and wanting to protect her in dreams she had in cases – , he had started to develop a profound affection, in a romantic way. Thus, he had no idea either how could this happen.

He stared at her, his pupils filled with tenderness and sorrow at the same time. With this look, Mai couldn’t help but confess quietly her feelings for him with a tiny voice.

“I… I love you,”

Her eyes full of tears, she buried her head in his chest and, heart clenched, he tried to console her as he could, hugging her in his arms while she was crying and embracing him against her. Sometimes, he smoothly cuddled her back, as an attempt to appease her even a little and it worked. After her tears were dispelled, they stayed so a moment, simply enjoying the presence of the other, pleased to be able to hug for the instant which was given to them. Neither of them wanted this to end.

Time passed before Gene raised her head softly with his hands, they gazed at each other and he finally whispered, “I love you too.”

Then, with his soul he kissed hers, in a desire to etch and never forget. He brushed her lips sweetly with his own. A teardrop slipped on Mai’s cheek as she kissed him back, knowing that all this was solely real for them. Nobody else. They could never go on a restaurant and eat together no more than they could walk randomly on the street hand in hand showing their love, but they had this. A relationship that was real in astral plane and not that they had the choice but it was enough for them.

She snuggled against him as he wrapped his arms around her. After a while, they entangled their hands.  
“I wanted to announce you Noll will be back in Japan,” Gene said, “I have learned that in his opinion, cases are more interesting here than anywhere else.” He said with a mocking smile. “So keep an eye on Noll for me, won’t you?”

Mai nodded softly.

“We will see each other again,” he reassured her, “I’m your spiritual guide after all.”

The promise relived her somewhat and she relaxed a little in his arms inhaling deeply before exhaling. Gene had the gift to comfort people.

“Can I hope something for you?” he asked and Mai waited. “Don’t be sad with me ever again,” he requested. “It’s not that I want you to hide your true feelings: I do need to know how you feel. But I just want you to be happy, so just live and enjoy,” he grinned.

“I will for you,” Mai asserted, tearing up.

Mai had to leave the astral plane. In a last embrace, he kissed her on her forehead before they move away, slowly untangling their hands while they walk away from each other until they can no longer touch the other.

They smiled genuinely at the other as Gene looked her disappear from the astral plane. As sad as it could be, he however accepted his condition. It only hurt him to see his beloved one suffer because she was in love with him, already a spirit… Though, Gene knew – and was relieved – she also loved Noll. It will just take a little time for her to mourn… With this, he faded away in order to rest slightly.

Mai still asleep, a lonely tear escaped her eye and rolled on her temple, falling on her pillow. A long sigh. She would see him again and, no matter how it was possible, she loved him.

Thus, they both were waiting the next time they will see the other…


End file.
